Hey all,I am considering working in an office 6 miles away and would rather not get an extra car for my family. My wife currently ties up our car most of the time. When the weather is decent, I would just bike to work, but I'd need an alternate means of getting there. There is no easy way to get there via public transportation. Any cheap and creative options? I live in an urban NJ community.

I paid $350 for a 1983 Yamaha scooter that drove me to school for four years with only a $100 carb repair once and some regular maintenance. Plus it only burned half a gallon of fuel a week. And sold it for more than I paid once I graduated.

Squeezer99

Addicted Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 12:19a

scooter/motorcycle/go cart/golf cart/4 wheeler

Kanosh

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 1:23a

elsaball said: Hey all,I am considering working in an office 6 miles away and would rather not get an extra car for my family. My wife currently ties up our car most of the time. When the weather is decent, I would just bike to work, but I'd need an alternate means of getting there. There is no easy way to get there via public transportation. Any cheap and creative options? I live in an urban NJ community.

You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

atikovi

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 8:20a

fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

sjwaste

Broke Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 8:21a

Some FWFers should have a golf cart to sell you.

scrouds

Wants To Have Your Babies

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 8:45a

atikovi said: fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

Don't wear your suit to work. Bring it with you or drop it off. Shower if you have facities at a work gym or a gym near by, or do a wet wipe shower in the bathroom.

atikovi

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 9:08a

scrouds said: atikovi said: fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

Don't wear your suit to work. Bring it with you or drop it off. Shower if you have facities at a work gym or a gym near by, or do a wet wipe shower in the bathroom.

You can wear nothing but your underwear and you'll still be soaking in sweat by the time you arrive. Wet wipe shower in the bathroom? Not what I expected from the most interesting man in the world, maybe if the "wet" part is some Dos Equis to mask your stink.

elsaball

New Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 9:20a

Thanks for your advice, guys

atikovi said: fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

Actually I am from the east coast. I'd like to bike primarily, but if weather or client meetings would make that difficult I'd like an alternate means of getting in. I'm leaning toward a scooter/moped/electric bike, but there are a few issues I'd need to work out:1. Storage. I live in a second floor walkup without a garage. While I could leave the vehicle outside, I'd probably want to insure it from theft and protect it from the elements. 2. Rain/snow. When the weather is too bad to ride, I'd probably call a taxi or follow my wife's schedule.

JTausTX

Senior Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 9:59a

atikovi said: fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

Silly East Coast people complaining about how hot it gets. Move to Texas or Arizona and you'll miss 90 degree days in August.

nagemnna2

Dismembered Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 10:25a

The humidity is more of a killer then the heat... makes you stick to yourself and everything your wearing.

Does the wife work somewhere where she could use public transport on the days you really need the car?

Not sure about your neighborhood but if i left a scooter or moped out at night it would be gone within days along with whatever i chained it to.

fatslob

Senior Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 10:29a

atikovi said: fatslob said: You can easily bike 6 miles to work all year round. What you need is quality winter gear. Think Pearl Izumi, Gore-Tex, etc. Buy on clearance and save a bundle. I bike all year, wife has the only car, and my "backup" is a second bike

I assume you're not from the east coast. Winter's not the problem, it's summer. You try and ride to work in a suit when the temperature and humidity are over 90 before 8am.

East Coast rider here. Suits stay at work and I shower in the gym. ~30 miles every day all year round. With the right equipment you will be fine in the rain/snow/summer heat. Best part is I actually look forward to my commute every day.

grex23

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 11:54a

I live in a place where transportation options are limitless. Cars, buses, subway, express bus, railroad, Car Sharing firm which has cars parked in local parking lots/garages and taxi cabs, and even gypsy or local cab owners as well who want a piece of the action and connections to the airports for airplanes or even access to the long haul bus firms and yes even rental car locations, and anything else that exists.

Its crazy how many options here are available for transportation. You wonder why the mass transit agency doesn't consolidate down and improve the total system rather than having too much redundancy.

I would suggest a car sharing service in your area if one exists or find a group of people who will agree to share a car. I can't say where you live so I wouldn't know what is available there.

Do your own research.

nagemnna2

Dismembered Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 2:25p

Oh i forgot about zipcar too. Not sure if its worth the $$ or in your area but maybe that is an option. Wifey could drop you at the zipcar on days you needed a car.

tadr

Senior Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 2:38p

nagemnna2 said: Oh i forgot about zipcar too. Not sure if its worth the $$ or in your area but maybe that is an option. Wifey could drop you at the zipcar on days you needed a car.

zipcar is a terrible option here, since you have to return it to the same place you pick it up.

Car2Go would be much better, but I doubt they have it where you are.

grex23

Senior Member - 2K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 3:17p

They have zipcar right here and considering many live right by them they will come back home then drop off the car and it is very convenient.

zipcar was taken over by a rental car firm so its unclear if they will allow dropoffs in different locations now.

Lots and lots of different car sharing alternatives depending on markets. Some NYC markets only have zipcar, while other areas have multiple other choices.

jaytrader

Broke Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 5:21p

I'm interested in this too. I have a 4.7 mile commute (one way) and would love to bike to work. I even have a paved path through fields, the woods, along parkways, etc that I could use without having to be directly on the road most of the way from home to work. I just would have an issue with weather, time, and having to shower at work. I never feel clean after showering at work after racquetball games...just something about the showers, I suppose.

RailroadTrack

Enthusiastic Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 5:24p

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson P45.

atikovi

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 6:23p

I've used a http://www.goped.com/products/Gas.asp for the last 10 years when dropping off and picking up cars from the body shopp and repair shop both of which are about 5 miles away. I even put it in a canvas bag and take it on the subway and bus when the place I'm going to is within 5 miles or so of the station. Wouldn't use it in rain although I've been caught in it and below about 45 degrees it's too cold with the wind.

lonestarguy

Enthusiastic Member

posted: Feb. 7, 2013 @ 9:25p

jaytrader said: I'm interested in this too. I have a 4.7 mile commute (one way) and would love to bike to work. I even have a paved path through fields, the woods, along parkways, etc that I could use without having to be directly on the road most of the way from home to work. I just would have an issue with weather, time, and having to shower at work. I never feel clean after showering at work after racquetball games...just something about the showers, I suppose.

Get a bike and add an electric motor -- you can use the motor to get to work w/ a little bid of peddling, and then peddle all the way home.

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